| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Carolinagirl |
Posted - May 12 2007 : 08:31:24 AM
Hi everyone! I'm fiddling around with making things today, and I have a question about linen water. Why do I need the vodka, and can I substitute anything else for it? I don't have vodka- I'm probably not going to go buy it just for this. Any ideas?
Thanks-
Kim in NC |
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| Beecharmer |
Posted - May 13 2007 : 11:01:41 PM
I am such a bad farm girl... I don't even have book by Mary Jane. ugh, next thing on the "want list".
I did however put in a bunch of Morrocan Spearmint last year, need to head out to the ranch and see how it overwintered.
Thanks
GrayHawk Farm
Prosser, WA |
| therusticcottage |
Posted - May 13 2007 : 10:14:25 PM
You can get perfumer's alcohol or denatured alcohol online from Snowdrift Farms. I'm sure other places carry it too.
Kelly -- there's a great recipe in MJ's book for linen water. It calls for adding fresh mint but you can use essential oils or fragrance oils.
Visit my Etsy shop at http://therusticcottage.etsy.com OR www.annarosetta.com
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| Beecharmer |
Posted - May 13 2007 : 8:09:17 PM
Anyone have a basic recipe for linen spray that I can add fragrance to. My one big luxury in life is that I buy bath and body works "spearmint and eucalyptus linen spray". I would love to make it myself for a better price. A big batch I can spray on through my entire house not just my pillow :)
GrayHawk Farm
Prosser, WA |
| BotanicalBath |
Posted - May 13 2007 : 7:56:54 PM
Denatured paint alcohol is different, and stinks like paint solvent. Perfumers alcohol is made for perfume, it has no odor but is also skin safe. What they denature it with tastes horrible. I guess it will make you drunk, but not worth drink to get drunk. Remember 100 proof vodka is 50% alcohol. Everclear/grain alcohol is almost 100% alcohol. The number proof divided by 2 is the % of alcohol. ie Bacardi 151 is 75.5% alcohol.
Think of it this way.... if it is safe to put in you, it is safe to put on you. Whether or not it is legal is a whole different story.
E-
BotanicalBath@peoplepc.com
www.Botanical-Bath.com |
| Jana |
Posted - May 13 2007 : 5:46:56 PM
Denatured alcohol is also available at hardware or paint stores. My husband is a painter and they use it to clean any oily or waxy residue off a surface before staining, so the stain penetrates. I wonder if that is the same % alcohol as the perfumers alcohol and what the difference in price is?
Jana |
| therusticcottage |
Posted - May 13 2007 : 11:14:01 AM
The vodka is for a preservative. Try to get 100% proof. It will help to emulsify the oils some but you'll still have oil floating on top of the water. Just shake before spraying.
Visit my Etsy shop at http://therusticcottage.etsy.com OR www.annarosetta.com
http://therusticcottage.blogspot.com/ |
| BotanicalBath |
Posted - May 12 2007 : 10:16:05 AM
The vodka if to stop the cooties from growing (very technical huh). FDA states that you need to add 10% for a water based solution. Rubbing alcohol would work, but you it will also have that stink. But remember that vodka and rubbing alcohol are only a % of actual alcohol. So you need to remember to factor that in your final product. Essential oils will separate and float on top... so it will also help emulsify it. If you will be infusing herbs, I would add some Phenonip or some other water soluble paraben. I also would spot check to make sure that infused herbs will not throw a color on your linens, Especially if you plan to iron with it... it would stink if it stained, and you set it in by ironing.
If you are making this to sell... you can not use vodka, everclear or other "booze" type alcohols any more.
Perfumers alcohol is what you want. It is denatured, has no odor but has been denatured so you cant drink it.
HTH
E-
BotanicalBath@peoplepc.com
www.Botanical-Bath.com |
| Marybeth |
Posted - May 12 2007 : 09:53:29 AM
Recipe for Lavender Linen Water
1tsp (100 drops) lavender essential oil
2 oz denatured alcohol
10 oz distilled water
12 oz bottle with lid
Pour EO and alcohol in bottle-cap and shake to mix; add distilled water.
Mixture will eventually become cloudy. Use it up
Shake well before each use.
Hope that helps
You can use any fragrance you prefer. MB
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| GaiasRose |
Posted - May 12 2007 : 08:45:40 AM
you could probably use rubbing alcohol.
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| JudyBlueEyes |
Posted - May 12 2007 : 08:41:34 AM
Kim, I would say the vodka is a preservative, if you are using fresh herbs or flowers for the recipe. If you are using essential oils, it would be to help disperse the oils in the water. However, if you're not making a huge amount of it, I would suggest just making a "tea" of your herbs (put about a large handful of fresh, not so much dried, herbs in a quart of boiling water, let it sit until cool) and then depending on the strength of it, maybe dilute it with more water and keep in the fridge any that you don't use. If you make an herbal tea and let it set out, it will eventually mold, as the tea is a living food. But I am always re-doing recipes to suit me and my sensibilities, so maybe try this first. But if you're making it to sell, you'd need the vodka. Just my two cents. Judy
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